Clean Sheets without Cahill

I remember a couple of seasons ago or last season we seemed to be better in defence when Cahill was suspended or injured. Is that going to happen again?

I've said it all along, Cahill was vastly overrated - how many times in his Bolton career did you come away from the match thinking Cahill had a stormer? Not many I'd guess.

Anyone would struggle with Knight as a partner. I agree he is overrated but I think he will do okay at Chelsea, if he can get into the team.

It was when he had that blood clot and Ricketts had to slot in next to Knight and it worked like a charm.

Cahill's good at attacking the ball in the air and he's a good footballer, but that's all I can say. He's poor at marking, he's not good at reading attackers' runs and I think Knight is a better tackler.

He'll probably look a far better defender at Chelsea alongside better players, but I cannot stress how much I don't give a shit that he's gone.

doffcocker wrote:He'll probably look a far better defender at Chelsea alongside better players, but I cannot stress how much I don't give a shit that he's gone.

Typical Bolton loser, happy to let his best player go for next to nothing.

Bolton Hater wrote:

doffcocker wrote:He'll probably look a far better defender at Chelsea alongside better players, but I cannot stress how much I don't give a shit that he's gone.

Typical Bolton loser, happy to let his best player go for next to nothing.

Better than wasting 35 million on a pony tailed cart horse.

Better than being from Blackburn. OUCH.

The only time Bolton Hater has seen a clean sheet is when he stays in a Premier Inn.

Reebok Trotter wrote:The only time Bolton Hater has seen a clean sheet is when he stays in a Premier Inn.

Not on topic but i love going on tripadvisor and checking out bad hotel reviews.

hilarious to see the kind of shit people put up with in hotels

I am bringing this thread back to life. I know Arsenal had their chances last night - but are we just better at not conceding when Cahill does not play. I recall a fair few fantistic interceptions/blocks from Wheater which if he had not got them in things could have been far worse than 0-0.

Can anyone be bothered working out a percentage of clean sheets with and withou Cahill.

Our best run of the season comes after Cahill leaves - coincidental?

I don't think it's coincidental but we didn't too bad without him when he was out for a couple of months when ricketts stepped in at centre back.

I would take him back in a shot but I can't say I shed a tear when he left.

I said before Cahill left that i honestly believe that Wheater will be able to step in for him no problem and looking good so far! just hope Ream is good enough to push Knight out though. Wouldn't take much class i don't think... :/

When I first read this i thought Biggie was owning up to shitting the bed.

Cahill still hasn't made an appearance for Chelsea. It's not as if their back four are all that solid.

I am happy that we got £7m for him. I would have been even happier if we had got £1.5m for Davies.

Cahill is great at going forward and can score, but I always thought he was trying to do two jobs at once and that left the other defenders isolated and out of position - it made Knight in particular look sh1t as he was always having to cover for Cahill whilst watching out for his own guy.

What Cahill brings is fantastic in a team with an overall solid defence, but not for us, so maybe it's best that he's moved on even if we only made £2.5 million profit from the sale.

With 2 stay-at-home CBs I think we'll be able to defend more solidly, especially with Muamba and NRC providing a shield and having (finally) some options at full back.

If we're going to survive, it's essential we produce more defensive performances like the last few, starting tomorrow - because now we've (finally) got a bit of pace up front we have a chance of nicking a few points.

To be fair to Cahill, his departure isn't the only big recent change to the side.

Robinson's been relegated to where in my opinion he should have been relegated to two years ago - the bench. Ricketts, a far more able full back has replaced him. Davies has finally been dropped. Klasnic, although good at finishing, was a nightmare for his lack of effort and has rightfully been dropped too. N'Gog's come in and been a breath of fresh air with his ability to hold up the ball.

We've gone from a 4-4-2, where both strikers were hugely immobile and we were therefore incredibly easy to attack against, to a 4-5-1 where the one striker is reasonably pacey and awkward to get the ball off of, and we're therefore proving considerably difficult to play against.

selling cahill will be one of coyles best ever moves

Sir Nut's Dad wrote:selling cahill will be one of coyles best ever moves

That and dropping Robinson and Davies. Selling Davies would have been even better.

Well funnily enough I think Davies might still have a role to play. I don't see him as a ninety minute player but bring him on with fifteen minutes to go to rough up tired defenders with his fresh legs is actually a good idea.

I don't know if anyone noticed but against Arsenal he caught Mertesacker with a right pearler of an elbow in his ribs.

I think it's an insult to Kev to sell him for 1.5 mill. It looks as if we are just trying to get him off the wage bill. Keep him as an impact player. He can do a lot of damage in fifteen minutes.